If you want to write the next
best-selling children’s books or
just want to create stories for your own kids, this workshop is for you. Learn
how to write stories kids and young adults will love and find out what you need
to know to sell your book.Special option:You
may, but don't have to, bring 3 copies of the opening couple pages (first 500
words) of your children’s book or young adult novel (or 1,000 words if that
will get you to the end of your picture book or to the end of your first
chapter.) If you’re not currently working on a children’s story, don’t worry,
we’ll get you started on the spot!

Monica Pacheco

Guest speaker Monica Pacheco is
a literary agent with The McDermid Agency. The McDermid Agency represents literary
novelists and commercial novelists of high quality and writers of nonfiction
in the areas of memoir, biography, history, literary travel, narrative science,
investigative journalism and true crime.

The agency also represents children's and YA writers and also writers in the fields of science fiction and
fantasy.

The McDermid Agency's clients include distinguished literary authors such as
Michael Crummey, Greg Hollingshead, Andrew Pyper, Nino Ricci, David Adams
Richards and Michael Winter. The agency also represents writers of narrative
non-fiction, such as Charles Montgomery and James MacKinnon, both of whom won
the Charles Taylor prize for literary non-fiction in their years of
publication.

Monica is actively seeking clients in the areas of
literary and commercial fiction, young adult, middle grade, high concept
picture books, fantasy and science fiction.

Jennifer Mook-Sang

We will also have author Jennifer Mook-Sangas
a guest speaker. Jennifer lives and writes in Burlington. She’s as amazed as
anyone to find she’s a published author. Her humorous middle grade novel Speechlesswas started in one of Brian Henry’s classes and was
released by Scholastic in September.

Speechless is already a hit. The CBC has named it one of
the 75 best books published in 2015 (see here),
and it’s a finalist for the Ontario Library Association’s Silver Birch
Award.

Jennifer was also a finalist in the Writing for
Children Competition 2014 sponsored by CANSCAIP and The Writer’s Union of
Canada. Jennifer will speak about how she got her first book published.

Writing for Children & for Young
Adults… is also being offered Saturday, April 2, in Barrie, with literary agent Rachel
Letofsky (see here), on
Saturday, April 30, in Guelph, with
Yasemin Uçar, senior editor, Kids Can Press and authors Jennifer Mook-Sang
and Kira Vermond (see here), and
Sunday, May 29, in Ottawa with
acclaimed author Alan Cumyn (see here).

If you do any kind of creative
writing,fiction or nonfiction, this workshop is for you.
We’ll tackle the nitty-gritty of putting words on paper in a way that will grip
the reader’s imagination. You'll learn how to avoid common errors that drain
the life from your prose. And you'll discover how to make your writing more
vivid, more elegant and more powerful.

Fee: 40.71+ 13% hst = 46 paid
in advance by mail or Interac
or 43.36 + 13% hst = 49 if you wait to pay at the door

Have you ever considered writing your
memoirs or family history? This workshop will introduce you to the
tricks and conventions of telling true stories and will show you how to use the
techniques of the novel to recount actual events. Whether you want to write for
your family or for a wider public, don't miss this workshop.

Workshop leader Brian Henryhas been a book editor and creative writing
instructor for more than 25 years. He publishes Quick Brown Fox, Canada’s
most popular blog for writers, teaches creative writing at Ryerson University
and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to
Saint John.

Brian is the author of a children’s version
of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde(Tribute Publishing Inc), and along
with Cecilia-Anca Popescu, Brian is the
co-author of Bloody Christmas, a memoir of love and revolution,whichis
currently under consideration with a literary agent.

But his proudest boast is that he’s has helped many of his students get
published.

Don't ever miss a post on Quick Brown Fox.Fill in your email in the box
to the right under my bio, and get each post delivered to your Inbox. Also, if
you’re not yet on my newsletter, send me an email, including your locale,
to: brianhenry@sympatico.ca ~
Brian

Sunday, February 28, 2016

I wracked my brain this week trying to think of some
object to bring and some story to write for show and tell at Brian’s writing
class. My problem is I can never say “no” and I found myself stressing over the
completion of this assignment. I always feel this way whenever I engage my
neurotic self into the process of creation. I am somewhat obsessive-compulsive
with a flare of perfectionistic tendencies. This is not a formally diagnosed
mental health issue but after observing my life over many decades, I have come
to understand what makes me intense.

I finally sat at the computer and began to
produce something that could be perceived as coherent. I was not aiming for logical
and creative. I was attempting to design something simple but perhaps “on the
other side of complex,” a phrase used by my boss. Already I was sounding
incoherent; so I decided to return to the stories of my life and what pulled me
into living differently this week, something from my inner world as opposed to what
was out there amidst the clutter of my life. I would bring gratitude for a life
transformed because of Shazia’s story “The Sand Timer” (posted on Quick Brown
Fox here.)

Last week, as I sat and listened to Shazia read
her story, I felt transported to a place to ponder my existence. The movement
of the clothes in her closet as she ran her hands through them made me feel the
presence of a life celebrated. How often have I looked at my own closet only to
wonder what to wear to work the next day?

This week, I ran my hands through my
clothes and felt my own spirit and the experiences I had when I wore them. My
clothes took me to memories of weddings, funerals, and graduations, and I am
grateful for this experience.

Like Shazia, I, too, have a box of miscellaneous
stuff that needs to be cleared out. But now I was not focused on the trinkets
or the children’s’ old possessions – their first drawings, their certificates.
The baggage that drew me were those issues that lay deep within myself. A
suitcase full of things I wish I could change.

I continue to struggle and yearn for conversion
but modifying one’s beliefs takes a great deal of muscle, energy that I find
difficult to engage. I pulled a prayer from memory that sustained me over the
years. It’s been the anchor that’s grounded me, my compass that’s provided direction to keep
going and forgive my weaknesses. It was my sand timer:

Fast from discontent and feast on gratitude; fast
from anger and feast on patience; fast from bitterness and feast on
forgiveness; fast from self-concern and feast on compassion.

Finally, Shazia talked about her will to control
how her life would be spent and how it could be used to help others. The story
she wrote became a trigger to my own awakening. It was a reminder to continue
my work towards a better version of myself. Her words, fortified with bravery
and courage, became a stronghold against my fears. It was when I felt this that
I knew I wanted to bring gratitude to my show and tell.

Louela Manankil-Rankin is an academic nurse
educator for Nipissing University Scholar Practitioner Program. She joined
Brian’s classes in September to quench her thirst for creative writing. She
started out with a class on “Memoirs” followed by her current course, “Welcome to
Creative Writing”. Louela believes that writing is a way for our spirit to
speak; for words reveal to us what we most need to understand. Louela lives
with her husband in Oakville, Ontario.

Saturday, February 27, 2016

I often hear people talk about wanting to go a country – say
France or Italy – to experience the life and culture. But do they actually want
to experience the country or simply visit it?
These aren’t the same.

I recently had a conversation with a friend, who had just
returned from Venice. Now, keep in mind
that I was born near Venice, have family there and, when I do visit, often
immerse myself in the everyday life of an Italian village. Which is why I
became a little bothered as she began to regale me with her experiences in
Venice as if she was now the guru on Italian life.

Lorena in Venice

Listening to her speak about all the “attractions” – the
gondola ride and the shopping – oh let’s not forget the shopping! I couldn’t
help but think that she had disregarded all the tips I gave her about how to
get a real sense of the city, its culture, its people.

Sure there are incredible historical buildings that are a
must-see, and if you only have a few days to spend in this grand old city, I recommend
you take the tourist route.

But my friend was going to be there for three weeks,
speaks Italian and begged me to tell her what to do and where to go to experience
everyday life in Venice. She was very
explicit in saying that she didn’t want to just go there as a tourist, that she
wanted a taste of a Venetian’s everyday life.

She went on to tell me of her frustration at not being able
to find a Starbucks and her elation when she finally did. Are you kidding me?
One of my greatest disappointments in Venice is that they allowed Starbucks and
McDonalds to set up shop! A city that
serves the best coffee in the world, not to mention some of the best food in the
world, had succumbed to the pressure of the tourist masses! Aghhh!

There’s a saying, “If you want to experience the true
culture, shop where the locals shop, eat where the locals eat.”

"Best coffee in the world" – the pastry's not bad, either.

She couldn’t understand why the city felt the need to
practically shut down at lunch time. It was very frustrating to her because
there was nothing to do.

Nothing to do? Really?

When the shops close over the lunch hour, there is a
calmness that blankets the city. Walking
through the narrow alleys of the city far from the tourist area, you can hear
families sitting down for their lunch, “Tutti
a mangare!” the mother calls. “Everyone to eat!”

The clang of plates being laid on the table, the sweet aroma
of lunch that was most likely prepared by nonna
after she came back from the early morning market with fresh vegetables, pasta
and meat.

You can hear the television
echoing in the background, most likely on the news channel. Televisions always seem
to be on at lunchtime in Italy – and
always on the news channel. This makes
for spirited conversations and, at times, passionate debates between family
members as they indulge in their lunch feast.

After a while, the televisions are off. There is a sense of
peacefulness – a real quiet. This is the
Venetians’ time. Perhaps it’s to steal a nap, read a book or take advantage in
an afternoon delight! After all, they do have a reputation for being passionate
romantics!

Whatever it is they choose to do, it is part of their way of
life. Work is a mere interruption in daily routine. “Work to live – not live to
work” comes to mind.

As you emerge from the narrow street you find yourself in a piazza … and it’s just you. Well, you
and a few pigeons. This is the pigeons’ lunch
hour and they’re busy feasting on the bread crumbs shaken off tablecloths after
lunch tables were cleared in the surrounding trattorias. This is a zen
moment, a chance to sit still for a while and listen to the water trickling
from a small fountain – what joy.

As I continued to listen to my friend, I couldn’t help but
think to myself, that she’d missed it.

If you had only given yourself time to just be, I thought,
ignored your itinerary, allowed yourself the pleasure of getting caught up in
watching and listening…

When in I’m in Venice, I never miss going to the early
morning market. I watch as the local
farmers anchor their small boats to the side of the canal and begin to offload
crates and crates of fresh fruit and vegetables.

In this market, you can only find fruit and
vegetables in season, a peach is ready to be eaten, strawberries are sweet,
watermelons are ripe. As the men
offload their precious cargo, a crowd watches, waiting anxiously as the stands
are being set up.

To think that this ritual for the Venetians has taken place
for hundreds of years in the same location, same time!

I love getting caught up in the passion the locals have in
picking out the freshest of crimson colored tomatoes, mushrooms that had just
been picked in the early morning hours – and the bantering! Oh the bantering
back and forth to agree on a price. I
don’t think they banter so much what they pay, it’s just the thing one does – a
joy for its own sake. The yelling back and forth – you’d think it was a huge
argument when in fact, they’re talking about what to make for lunch, ending the
banter with a laugh. What an experience.

By the way, while you’re at the market, do yourself a favour
and buy some fruit!

I realized that my friend simply visited Venice, didn’t
really experience it, and that’s all right . After all most of us just visit a
place when we venture far from home. She
was content with her visit and she’ll never know what she
missed.

Lorena Perkins was born near Venice, Italy,
and goes home to visit whenever she can.
In June, she will return to spend time with her 92-year-old grandmother
and will be bringing her grown daughter along to experience life in an Italian
village. Lorena had been writing
journals since the age of 12 and has amassed quite a collection. With the
encouragement of her husband, she decided it was time to venture into the world
of creative writing. Joining Brian’s
creative writing class is the first step.

Whatever you're writing ~ fiction or
nonfiction ~ readers will care about your story only if they care about your
people. In this workshop, you'll learn techniques for creating fictional
characters and depicting real people. You’ll learn how to breathe life into the
page so that your characters start telling you how the story should go.

Workshop leader Brian Henry has
been a book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He
publishes Quick Brown Fox, Canada’s most popular blog for
writers, teaches creative writing at Ryerson University and has led workshops
everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to Saint John. But his
proudest boast is that he has helped many of
his students get their first book published and launch their careers as
authors.
What past participants say:

Hi, Brian.

I just wanted to thank you for the “Writing Great
Characters” workshop on Saturday. I have been stalled in my writing, and
I realized at the workshop it was because I didn't have a clear picture of my
character's personality and motives. Your exercises and handouts have
inspired me and I'm happy to say I spent the rest of the weekend writing.
Writer's block conquered (for now, ha)!
Looking forward to all the upcoming workshops.

Marina Unger

Fee:34.51
+ hst =39 in advance or 37.17 +
hst = 42if you wait to pay
at the door

Thursday, February 25, 2016

From TheIron Giant to The Incredibles and Up,
Brad Bird’s animated movies have become modern classics. But of all Bird’s films, Ratatouille is my favourite.

The film has a Trumbo-like
storyline. The protagonist Remy is a masterful chef but also a rat and can
never be welcome in the kitchens of Paris. Remy befriends a janitor to act as
his front, while Remy does the actual cooking.
Add the essential ingredients of a Pixar film – excitement, humour,
romance, morals, and friendship – bake, and serve up one of the great animated
films of all time.

The animation throughout is spot-on. Paris breathes. The
characters live. Even the CGI food looks delicious. The perfect atmosphere is accentuated by a
musical score which makes the action more exciting and fun, while it really
drove home parts like Ego’s monologue.

I did find the film’s beginning slow. It could have benefitted
from an American Hustle feel, with a
smooth as fondue presentation. And the simplicity
in the opening title bugged me; it didn’t represent the film. The title should
have been superimposed over Paris, shot with the graceful atmosphere that makes
Ratatouille, Ratatouille.

But I don’t intend to puncture a beautiful soufflé of a
film. The critic in this film, Ego, has a lot to say about food critics who can
only taste what’s bad. Film critics should also remember that, even when not
every part has been baked to perfection, the overall taste may still be
delicious!

***

Quick Brown Foxwelcomes your book reviews and other book-related pieces and also reviews
of movies or of whatever else catches your eye. Details here. Read how to write a book review (or
any kind of review)here.

William Henryis 13 years old and in grade 8. He’s a big amateur film buff and a
professional actor. His dad teaches creative writing and publishes Quick
Brown Fox. You can read more film reviews by William hereand here, and read about his adventures in Hollywood at age 7 here.

Brian Henry has been a book editor, writer, and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He teaches creative writing at Ryerson University. He also leads weekly creative writing courses in Burlington, Mississauga, Oakville and Georgetown and conducts Saturday workshops throughout Ontario. His proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get published.